Railroad tie and antispreading device



RAILROAD TIE AND ANTISPREADING DEVICE Filed Aug. 27 1921 INVEN TOR. MIA/AM mm? Jr.

A TTORNEY.

Fatented Dec. llll, 11923.

Unitas-stares WILLIAM WARD, SR., OF BROOKS, WISCONSIN.

RAILROAD TIE AND ANTISPREADING DEVICE.

Application filed August 27, 1921. Serial No. 495,875.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM WARD, Sn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Brooks, in the county of Adams and State of W isconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Ties and Antispreading Devices, of which the following i a specification.

, This invention relates to railroad ties and anti-spreading devices for the rails, the pri mary object of the invention being to pro vide a device which will prevent rails from creeping or spreading.

Another important object of the invention I is to provide a particular tie construction co-operating with the anti-spreading means whereby the latter is absolutely precluded against any movement whatsoever.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for insulating the rails from the anti-spreading device and tie to prevent grounding of an electric current when such is passed through the rails.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the invention,

Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same, and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the essential parts of the anti-spreading device.

Referring to the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, numeral 4 designates a railroad tie which may be of the old wooden type, or molded from concrete, or even constructed from metal. However, I prefer to use the old wooden type of tie in conjunction with the invention, and the top face of the tie is provided with a longitudinally extending relatively wide groove or recess 5 which extends from a point adjacent one end of the tie to a point adjacent the opposite end thereof. An elongated metallic plate 6 which is the same length and width as the recess 5 is adapted to be positioned in the bottom of the recess and consequentl fits snugly therein. Each end of this plate is provided with rail engaging means 7 adapted for engagement with the outside edges of the rail base. In

the present instance, this rail engaging means at each end of the plate consists of an upstanding transversely arranged memher 8 which is secured in any suitable man ner to the plate 6, and is preferably welded thereto; The inner face of each member 8 is arranged perpendicularly to the plate 6, while the outer face 9 of each member is curved downwardly and outwardly of the end of the plate so as to form a neat pearance and to properly shed deleterious material. It will be noted that'the lower portion of the outer face of each member 8 is arranged flush with the transverse end of the plate 6 so that the member 8 may fit into the ends of the recess in the tie.

Should it be desired to insulate the rails from the tie, insulation such as fibre is placed upon the plate 6 and against the inner faces of the rail engaging members 8. This insulation in the present instance consists of a pair of strips of insulation 10 which are substantially the same width as the recess 5 and are adapted to be positioned upon the base plate as clearly seen. The outer end 11 of each insulating strip is angularly disposed to fit snugly against the inner faces of the rail engaging members 8. As is clearly shown, the inner ends of the insulating strips are adapted to be spaced apart, although they may of course abut if such construction is found desirable.

In order to prevent chafing of the strips of insulation by the vibrations of the rails, a pair of wear plates 12 the same width as the strips of insulation are adapted to be placed upon said strips within the recess 5, so that the top faces of the plates will be flush with the top face of the tie as is shown. The outer end 13 of each wear plate is angularly disposed to extend vertically of the tie and to abut the angularly disposed ends 11 of the insulating strips 10. The inner ends ofthe wearplates are spaced apart the same as the insulating strips as clearly shown,

the outer ends of the insulating strips and wear plates being just as high as the top of the rail engaging members 8. All of the parts of the anti-spreading device may be retained within the recess by means of plates 15 fastened to the top face of the tie and extending transversely across the wear plates 12.

The outside edge of the base of one rail of a track is adapted to abut the angularly disposed end 13 of one of the wear plates to r Y12 and is retained in such position by means tion will absolutely prevent spreading of the rails due to the fact that the transverse ends of the base plate 6 abut the ends of the recess 5.. It will be seen that the anti-spreading device cannot shift longitudinally of the {tie and as this plate is the same width as the irecess 5, lateral movement of the device relaftive to the tie is also precluded. 15*

panying drawings have reference to what might be considered to be the approved or preferred form, of my invention. desire it to be understood that I may make such changes in the construction, combination and arrangementof parts, material, dimensions, etc. as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: r 1

An anti-spreading device for rails comprising in combination, a. tie provided with a longitudinally extending recess with its ends extended beneath both rails of a track, a plate of substantially the same length as members, beyond the outer edges of the rail bases, Wear plates positioned" upon, said insulation strips. and having their inner ends spaced apart and their outer ends provided with upstanding portions clamped between The foregoing description and accomthe upstanding'ends of the, strips of insulation a-n d the outer edges, of the rail bases, the outer angular ends of the. insulation plates being clamped between upstanding port-ions of said wear plates and said abut} ment member, said wear plates being ar ranged flush with the top of the tie, and fastening plates extending across the inner endsv of the wear plates and fastened at their ends tothe tie. ,7 V

In testimony whereof ,I'afiix my signature in the presence'of two witnesses.

WILLIAM WARD, SB. 

